‘So which floor do we go to?’
‘Both of them. We’ll start with car park level two first,’ said Angela.
‘If they’re on level three, we’ll never find them that way. They’ll be out of the car park and half way to Scotland before we’ve even finished searching level two.’
‘If you’ve got any better suggestions, now is the time to open your mouth,’ Angela fumed.
Theo knew she wasn’t angry with him. She was worried about Ricky, just as he was. Suppose the woman in the lift with him realized that Ricky was on to her. Where was Ricky now? Was he safe? Theo remembered the last time Ricky was in trouble. He wasn’t going to go through all that again. But a terrible sense of déjà-vu swept over him.
At last the lift arrived. To both Angela and Theo’s annoyance and intense frustration a woman pushing a pram got into the lift with them.
‘Hurry up, Sam. I haven’t got all day,’ the woman called out to the girl of four or five standing outside the lift.
And neither have we, Theo thought, glaring at the girl, and willing her to get in the lift.
‘Samantha!’ The woman yelled, exasperated. She turned to Angela and Theo, smiling apologetically.
‘I want a doughnut! I need it!’ Samantha burst into tears and turned around to trot down the centre after her doughnut.
‘SAMANTHA!’ The woman pushed the pram out of the lift and headed after her daughter.
‘Thank goodness for that.’ Angela pressed the button for the second floor of the car park. Nothing happened. She pressed it again and kept her finger on it. The doors shut so slowly, it was as if they were doing it on purpose. At long last the lift started to move, but it moved upwards as if it was on great-granny pedal power.
‘I could run up the stairs backwards faster than this,’ Theo complained.
Angela pressed the destination lift button over and over again. It didn’t make any difference. The lift continued crawling upwards. Theo could’ve wept with frustration. Finally they reached the second floor of the car park. The moment the doors were a body width apart, Angela and Theo were out of there. The lift opened straight out into the car park which at this time of day was full of cars. A hollow kind of silence echoed at them from all directions. Theo turned his head this way and that, desperate for some sound, some noise, some clue as to what was happening.
Nothing. No tall woman in a brown suit. And no Ricky.
‘Should I call out for him?’ Angela whispered.
‘We’d better not. We might make things worse rather than better,’ Theo decided.
‘Then we’d better split up. Back here in ten minutes.’ And Angela was off.
‘Angela, no. We should stay …’ But Theo was talking to himself.
What should he do now? Catch up with Angela so that they could stay together or try and find Ricky by himself? They would cover more ground apart but Theo wasn’t happy about it at all. After a glance down at his watch, he turned and headed in the opposite direction to Angela. He scanned left and right, right and left for Ricky, wondering if he should dismiss his own advice and call out for his friend. The car park was vast, with bays going off in all directions. When his mum and dad came here with him for the weekly shopping, they always complained about the way the car park was designed. Unless you were lucky enough to park near a lift or you had years of experience of hunting round the car park, you stood no chance of finding your car until you were old and grey. Theo didn’t know what to do for the best. He broke into a jog, moving up and down between the aisles of cars.
Still nothing.
Theo glanced down at his watch again. The ten minutes were up. He’d go back to the lift and if Angela hadn’t found Ricky either then Theo was going straight to the police. The sudden, sharp click of heels made Theo freeze. He ducked down behind the nearest vehicle and stealthily made his way from car to car towards the noise. He tried to peep his head up, but ducked it down again when he saw two people only metres away from him. One was the woman in brown from down in the shopping centre but the man had his back to Theo. Praying that they hadn’t seen him, Theo wondered what he should do next. Eyeing the ground with distaste, he gritted his teeth and lay down flat to look under the adjacent cars. Two pairs of feet – a woman in brown shoes with high heels and a man in grey lace-up shoes and dark socks with bright dayglo green stripes stood two cars away. Could he get a bit closer? Keeping low, Theo crept around the first car. He was beginning to differentiate between the soft voices.
‘You stupid woman! Why didn’t you check first?’
‘I didn’t want to draw attention to myself. It was bad enough having to go through the bin in the first place,’ the woman replied with low anger. ‘And don’t call me stupid!’
‘If the shoe fits!’ said the man. ‘Couldn’t you tell these weren’t the right CDs?’
‘How was I meant to tell that without a computer? Or was I meant to read the disk with my fingernail?’
‘The great big labels marked My First and Second Sing-Along CDs should have given you just a slight clue!’
‘Don’t talk to me like that. You wouldn’t have got this far if it wasn’t for me.’
‘And exactly how far is this far?’ the man fumed. ‘As far as I can see we’re right back where we started.’
‘Maybe Paul just mislabelled the CD to throw us off?’
‘See for yourself,’ the man said, exasperated.
Theo had to risk it. Slowly, oh so slowly he crept around behind the voices until he was behind the car they were standing next to. It was an olive green sports car with a licence plate showing it was this year’s model. Theo straightened up just the merest fraction to peer through the back window. He could see the profile of the woman but, frustratingly, the man still had his back to him. But now Theo could see they were using a laptop computer which was perched on top of the sports car. If he could just get a tiny bit closer …
Theo’s knee hit against the bumper of the car and the noise was like a cannon going off. Theo ducked back down but it was too late. The voices stopped immediately. Theo could hear footsteps heading in his direction. His heart pounded, his blood roared in his ears, he was going to be sick.
Move! Move! he told himself, but his feet refused to listen. Swallowing down his terror, Theo jumped up and ran like a rabbit, too frightened even to look back. He could hear two sets of footsteps racing after him.
‘Come back here,’ the man yelled belligerently.
‘He heard us. He was listening,’ the woman raged.
Theo willed his legs to run faster. He ignored his lungs screaming for air and his heart ready to burst and the stitch in his side like a plunging knife. He ran and ran.
‘No! In the car! Quick!’ The man’s voice yelled out behind him.
And still Theo didn’t look back. It was only when he heard the footsteps retreating that he dared to slow down and even then he was half afraid it was a trick. He turned but there was no one behind him. Sure he was going to have a heart attack at any second, Theo stopped to catch his breath.
Why had they stopped chasing him? He was what seemed like kilometres away from the lift and there was no one around. Theo still couldn’t believe that he’d been so clumsy, so stupid as to alert them to his presence. He was so busy watching them to make sure that they couldn’t see him that he’d forgotten to pay attention to the back of the car. They had heard him and given chase but at least he was safe now. Only … why had they given up so easily? Why had they stopped chasing him?
And then, horrifyingly, Theo realized why they had stopped running after him. They had gone back to their car and now it was heading straight for him.
They were going to try and knock him over …
Chapter Fifteen
The Accident
ONCE AGAIN, THEO took off. One word played over and over again in his head. RUN! If he could just reach the lift. If he could just run fast enough … But he could hear the car behind him getting nearer and nearer. Its engine roared l
ike a ravenous lion about to pounce and Theo knew it was only a few metres behind him now. They were really going to run him down …
‘Theo, over here.’
The voice came out of nowhere. Theo didn’t stop to work out who had called him or to work out the exact location of the voice. He had to get away, that was all he knew. He turned on the run and veered towards the voice.
‘This way! Get down! Quick!’
Theo barely registered the fact that it was Pascoe DeMille. All he had on his mind were the occupants of the car who were trying to catch up with him.
‘Down!’ Pascoe pushed Theo down beside a black Land Rover and then squatted down himself. Both crouching, they frog-hopped their way behind the Land Rover and behind several cars, before stopping. Pascoe placed a finger over his lips as the two of them listened for the approach of the green car.
‘Where did he go?’ The woman’s voice rang out over the low, steady purr of the car engine.
‘He can’t have got far.’
‘We’d better go. We can’t risk staying here any longer. Someone might see us.’
‘Never mind. I’ll deal with Theo Mosley and Jade …’
Theo didn’t hear any more as the car drove off. But he didn’t want to hear any more. He’d heard enough. The man and the woman in the car knew his name … How did they know who he was? Theo could taste the fear in his mouth. It was as dry as feathers and burned like acid.
Pascoe straightened up and dusted himself off. ‘I warned you to stick with your friends.’ He shook his head.
‘How did you know we should stay together?’ Theo stood up and eyed Pascoe warily.
‘I’m psychic!’ Pascoe smiled. ‘You’d better get back to the lift. Angela and Ricky are worrying about you.’
‘Hang on! Where did you come from? How come you’re up here helping me?’
‘Actually, I was up here loading my groceries into my car,’ Pascoe replied. ‘I saw what was going on and thought you needed some help, that’s all. It really looked like they were trying to … Well, I’m sure they weren’t …’
‘I think they were,’ Theo argued. ‘Shouldn’t we go to the police?’
‘I’d rather not get involved in the police – if it’s all the same to you.’
‘Why not?’
‘I have my reasons,’ Pascoe said, evenly.
‘How did you know we’d be up here? Have you been following us? How did you know all this was going to happen?’ Theo still couldn’t get over the feeling that Pascoe’s arrival had been a little too timely, his intervention a bit too convenient. Was Pascoe in on this with the woman in brown and the man with the stripy socks? And now that Theo was thinking a little more calmly, there was something about the man in the stripy socks that was familiar. If he could just put his finger on it …
‘I’d better get back to my car,’ Pascoe said. ‘Just be careful, Theo – OK?’
‘How d’you know my name?’ Theo stepped back from Pascoe.
The more the man opened his mouth, the more Theo suspected that Pascoe DeMille was not everything he claimed to be.
‘The man in the car that was chasing you mentioned a Theo Mosley. I just assumed it was you.’
But Pascoe had called his name before that. Theo was sure of it.
‘Aren’t you going to do something to help?’ Theo tried. ‘That man said he was going to deal with Jade as well – not just me.’
‘Don’t worry. He won’t get the chance.’ Pascoe’s face was as hard as granite as he stared down the car park. Then he looked at Theo and his face relaxed into a smile. ‘Not with you and your friends on the job.’
And with that, Pascoe headed off down the car park. Theo watched him for a few moments, a deep frown creasing the skin on either side of his mouth. Theo turned and made his way back to the lifts.
No! I can’t just leave it there, he shook his head vehemently.
Pascoe had to do something – even if it was just telling the police what had happened. He couldn’t be that ineffectual, even if he was a grown-up. Theo turned back, ready to argue with Pascoe.
But there was no sign of him.
Theo looked up and down the rows of cars, but Pascoe was nowhere to be seen. His frown deeper now, Theo ran back to the lifts. Angela and Ricky were just entering one of them as he ran up.
‘Wait! Wait for me!’
‘Theo! We were just about to go to the police.’
‘Where on earth have you been? We were worried sick.’
‘Where were you then?’ Theo asked Ricky, annoyed.
‘The woman rumbled me. When I didn’t get out on this floor, she pressed the button for the next one up. And when I didn’t get out there either, she pressed the button for the ground floor and accused me of playing about with the lifts. I had to get out on the ground floor and then she went up again,’ Ricky explained.
‘So with all that wandering up and down the car park lifts, we must’ve just missed each other,’ added Angela.
‘But never mind that,’ Ricky dismissed. ‘Theo, what happened to you?’
‘Simple. The woman in brown met her accomplice – it was a man but I didn’t see his face. Then they both heard me eavesdropping and tried to run me over with their car.’
Ricky and Angela stared, but Theo’s expression was too grim for this to be a joke.
‘Are you all right?’
Theo nodded.
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes.’
‘Let’s go to the police. This is getting serious.’ Now Ricky’s face was as grim as Theo’s.
‘That’s not all,’ Theo added.
‘I would’ve thought that was enough,’ Angela said, eyebrows raised.
‘Guess who helped me get away from the two in the car?’
‘Who?’ Angela and Ricky asked in unison.
‘Pascoe DeMille.’
‘Pascoe!’ Angela was stunned. ‘What’s he doing here?’
‘Shopping – or so he said,’ Theo replied.
‘Lucky he was here then,’ Ricky said slowly.
‘Isn’t it just?’ Theo agreed.
Silent moments passed before anyone spoke.
‘Hhmm … d’you think Pascoe is working with the other two or is he after the disks for himself?’ asked Angela.
‘I think he’s working alone or for someone else we haven’t come across yet,’ Theo said at last. ‘Otherwise why would he help me out?’
‘Unless he’s trying to lull you into a false sense of security?’ Ricky suggested.
Theo shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. I think he was genuinely helping me but maybe he knew that we’d substituted other CDs for the real ones.’
‘How would he know that?’ Angela frowned.
‘I don’t know. I’m only guessing,’ Theo said impatiently. ‘All I do know is that it’s too much of a coincidence that he should just appear like that.’
‘Mrs Daltry says that sometimes coincidences do happen,’ said Angela.
‘Yes, but Mrs Daltry …’ And then it hit Theo. He stared at his friends. His mouth dropped open and stayed open. He couldn’t believe it. And yet … and yet he was sure he was right.
‘What’s the matter?’ asked Ricky, concerned.
Theo shook his head. He must’ve made a mistake. He must have … It was ridiculous – preposterous. And yet, the more he thought about it …
‘Come on Theo, sick it up!’ said Angela.
Should he or shouldn’t he? Theo wondered if he should tell his friends of his discovery. What if he was wrong? The trouble was once he had said it, there was no turning back. So he had to be sure …
‘Nothing. Never mind.’ Theo couldn’t tell his friends about his revelation. They’d never believe him for a start. And suppose he had got it wrong? There’d be hell to pay. But he was so sure he was right …
‘Don’t tell us it’s nothing when we can see from your face that that’s a blatant lie,’ frowned Ricky. ‘What’s up?’
Theo made
a conscious effort to think of something else so that Ricky couldn’t read his expression. He was surprised the name of the person he had in mind wasn’t blazoned across his forehead.
Theo was convinced he knew who had tried to knock him over.
But knowing it and proving it were two different things. He’d just have to find a way to prove it first – and that meant setting a trap. It wouldn’t be fair to get his friends involved until he was absolutely certain. Especially after everything Ricky and Angela had already been through.
Theo’s heart began to thump a slow, fearful tattoo in his chest, as if it knew and was protesting his decision.
‘It’s OK.’ Theo attempted to smile. ‘I thought I recognized the woman in the brown suit, but I didn’t.’
‘Oh, OK. Let’s pop in and see Jade on our way home,’ Ricky suggested.
‘Fair enough,’ Angela agreed.
Theo didn’t speak. His mind was overwhelmed by the course of action he was contemplating. If he was wrong he would be in the worst trouble of his life. But if he was right … Not only would he be in trouble, he’d be in danger. Theo wondered if he should tell his friends of his suspicions. It’d be so much easier to have company on this. Theo sighed inwardly. He was being selfish. He’d make one hundred per cent certain first and then he’d tell them.
An unwelcome question formed in his mind and refused to budge. If and when he needed his friends’ help, would he be in a position to get it?
Chapter Sixteen
The Secret
‘HELLO, MRS DRISCOLL. MAY we speak to Jade please?’
Mrs Driscoll’s look could’ve felled an elephant at ten paces. She was not pleased. Glancing down at her watch, she asked, ‘Do you have any idea what time it is?’
‘A quarter to six,’ Ricky said. ‘We won’t stay long. We all have to be home by six o’clock.’
‘Jade’s been very upset. She’s in her bedroom asleep and I don’t want to disturb her.’
‘It’s very important that we see her. We have some important news to tell her,’ Theo said earnestly.
Ricky and Angela glanced at Theo.